NFPA Journal underscores the importance of a collective response to wildfires

The Rim Fire approaches the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, the source of water and power for San Francisco.

Made apparent by the recent Rim Fire in California, which threatened the water supply of 2.6 million people living 160 miles from the incident, wildfires have regional impacts.

A story in the latest edition of NFPA Journal provides some perspective on a concern extending beyond the designated wildland/urban interface (WUI). “The threats to water, power, and other infrastructure that could affect a major urban center are perfect examples of why wildfire is everyone’s concern,” says NFPA's Molly Mowery, program manager for Fire Adapted Communities and International Outreach. “It’s easy to think that only the people living in the WUI are affected, but the reality is that the impact of these fires is often regional. We need to take collective ownership of these kinds of disasters, and that includes the work we do to prepare for them."